About
35
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Introduction
I have 8 years’ experience designing and coordinating studies addressing health disparities in underserved South Texas populations, including children and cancer survivors (breast, liver, stomach). My recent career development award from the Dept of Defense Peer-Reviewed Cancer Research Program focuses on gaps in Helicobacter pylori-associated gastric disorder diagnoses and management in Latinos in South Texas. It is a mixed methods approach involving secondary data analysis of electronic health data and semi-structured interviews. I would like to become an expert in gastrointestinal cancer prevention Health Services Research.
Current institution
Additional affiliations
October 2018 - present
June 2011 - present
Education
September 2009 - August 2012
Field of study
- Public Health - Health Promotion and Behavioral Science
September 2007 - August 2009
Field of study
- Family and Community Medicine Internship/Residency
May 1997 - May 2007
Publications
Publications (35)
Yoga-based exercise has proven to be beneficial for practitioners, including cancer survivors. This study reports on the effect on inflammatory biological markers for 20 breast cancer survivors who participated in a six-month yoga-based (YE) exercise program. Results are compared to a comprehensive exercise (CE) program group and a comparison (C) e...
Chronic Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is a major gastric adenocarcinoma risk factor. Gastric adenocarcinoma (GA) disproportionately affects U.S. Hispanics compared to non-Hispanic whites (NHWs). Since H. pylori infection studies in Hispanics are few, infection rates in Hispanic and NHW men in Bexar County were compared, and relationship...
Background
Gastric cancer disproportionately affects Latinos, but little is known about regional effects and risk factors. We compared primary incidence, late-stage diagnosis, and risk factors for gastric adenocarcinoma (GCA) from 2004 to 2016 in Latinos and non-Latinos in the United States, Texas (TX), and South Texas (STX).
Methods
We collected...
Background: Latino patients have a higher incidence of gastric cancer compared to non-Latino white patients nationwide, with greater disparities in South Texas. However, the impact of Latino ethnicity on mortality in gastric cancer is controversial. We evaluated clinicopathological characteristics and survival outcomes in Latino versus non-Latino w...
Background/objectives:
Extensive evidence suggests that exercise is physically and mentally beneficial for cancer survivors. This study reports on changes in self-reported stress, physiological biomarkers for stress (salivary cortisol), and HR-QOL constructs for fifty breast cancer survivors participating in one of three different exercise program...
Background
Latinos/Hispanics are at higher risk for developing gastric cancer (GC) compared with non‐Hispanic whites, and social determinants of health (SDoH) are thought to contribute.
Aims/Materials and Methods
This study addressed SDoH and their interactions contributing to disparities in the testing and treatment of Helicobacter pylori (HP) in...
Purpose
Behavioral interventions have been used with breast cancer survivors (BCS) in cancer pain management and post-treatment quality of life (QOL) studies. We studied the effects of an anti-inflammatory dietary intervention on QOL in BCS.
Methods
One hundred fifty-three overweight and obese (body mass index [BMI] ≥ 25 kg/m²), early stage (0-III...
I am presenting a poster and a rapid-fire abstract at the 2022 Advancing the Science of Cancer in Latinos conference (register at https://www.uthscsa.edu/academics/medicine/education/cme/ascl) regarding the interaction between social determinants of health and ethnicity on gastric cancer risk. Come and see!
Introduction:
Breast cancer survivorship is a life-long process involving challenges to health-care communities and individuals, especially Latinas. Patient Navigation has shown some success in meeting these challenges. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of an enhanced Patient Navigation program (Intervention; PN+) vs Control (PN...
Gastric (GC) affects U.S. Latinos disproportionately relative to non-Hispanic whites (NHWs), particularly in South Texas (STX). Helicobacter pylori infection (HP) accounts for 90% of cases and is considered the primary GC risk factor. Disparities in GC incidence rates are likely linked to similar disparities in diagnosis and management of precursor...
Some evidence indicates that carotenoids may reduce the risk of bladder cancer (BC), but the association is unclear. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of case-control and cohort studies investigating the relation between carotenoid intake or circulating carotenoid concentrations and BC risk in men and women. All relevant epidemiolo...
Disparities in gastric cancer and its precursors in South Texas: a secondary analysis of electronic health data from two affiliated institutions.
Latinos are a rapidly increasing demographic at risk for cancer, which is now the top mortality cause in this population. GC has a higher incidence among Latinos versus non-Hispanic whites (NHW), and in TX is diagnosed at younger ages and more advanced stages. Moreover, GC was the 8th leading cause of Latina cancer deaths in 2015. H. pylori infecti...
Purpose
The goal of this education and culinary-based dietary intervention was to increase adherence to a Mediterranean-style, anti-inflammatory dietary pattern in breast cancer survivors (BCS) by promoting the consumption of anti-inflammatory foods, herbs, and spices.
Methods
Overweight and obese, early-stage, BCS were randomized to the Intervent...
Chronic Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is a major gastric adenocarcinoma (GA) risk factor. GA disproportionately affects U.S. Hispanics compared with non-Hispanic Whites (NHWs). Since H. pylori infection studies in Hispanics are few, infection rates in Hispanic and NHW men in Bexar County were compared, and relationships with ethnicity a...
U.S. breast cancer survivors (BCSs) are expected to increase to 4 million in the next 5–10 years. Cancer recurrence risk is highest among obese survivors. Inflammatory (Pro-I) biomarkers including C-reactive protein (CRP), Interleukins -3, -6, and -8 (IL-3, IL-6, IL-8), and Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF)–α have been associated with cancer recurrence r...
U.S. breast cancer survivors (BCSs) are expected to increase to 4 million in the next 5-10 years. Cancer recurrence risk is highest in obese survivors. Inflammatory (Pro-I) biomarkers including C-reactive protein (CRP), Interleukins -3, -6, and -8 (IL-3, IL-6, IL-8), and Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF)-α have been associated with cancer severity and re...
Background: U.S. breast cancer survivors (BCSs) are expected to increase from 3 to 4 million in the next 5-10 years. Cancer recurrence risk is highest in obese survivors. Pro-inflammatory biomarkers including C-reactive protein (CRP), Interleukins -3, -6, and -8 (IL-3, IL-6, IL-8), and Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF)α have been associated with cancer s...
Latinos in South Texas (STX) are disproportionately diagnosed with Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) compared to non-Hispanic whites (NHW) and Latinos in the U.S. The aims of this study were to characterize behavioral and clinical risk factors contributing to HCC incidence in our STX population.
Methods: Controls and cases (104:51) were recruited from...
Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is a common risk factor (RF) for gastric adenocarcinoma. Although the infection is highly prevalent worldwide, US rates vary. Recent analysis of 286 Hispanic and non-Hispanic white men in a prospective cohort found significant associations between H. pylori-positive (+) serology and Hispanic ethnicity. This...
Yoga-based exercise has proven to be beneficial for practitioners, including cancer survivors. This study reports on the effect on inflammatory biological markers for 20 breast cancer survivors who participated in a six-month yoga-based (YE) exercise program. Results are compared to a comprehensive exercise (CE) program group and a comparison (C) e...
Introduction: Chronic Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is the most common gastric carcinoma (GC) risk factor. GC more commonly affects U.S. Hispanics than non-Hispanic whites (NHWs). No study has recently examined this infection in South Texas Hispanics, a population facing multiple health disparities. This pilot project aimed to determine...
Introduction: Between 1995 and 2010 there have been 1.4 million incident cancer cases in Texas. While Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) accounted for a small proportion (ranked 21st in incidence), it ranked 9th by cause of death attributed to the tumor. Mortality rate was 68%, with average overall survival time 16.6 months. Unlike most cancers, HCC ha...
Gastric cancer (GC) is the second-leading cause of cancer-related deaths in most Western countries. US Hispanics have higher rates of GC compared to the general population. The purpose of this study was to comprehensively compare Latinos to non-Hispanic white (NHW) for all primary gastric malignant tumor incidence and trends from 1995 to 2010, in t...
A positive association of obesity with breast cancer incidence and mortality is well established. Recent reports indicate that adipose stromal cells (ASCs) play an important role in breast cancer development and progression by producing estrogens and tumor-promoting cytokines. Furthermore, circulating ASCs have been uniquely detected in obese indiv...
Reduced stress and reduced risk of cancer recurrence are among the many benefits of physical activity (PA) for cancer survivors. Exercise behaviors are linked to motivational factors. We investigated the associations between motivational profile, self-reported levels of PA and stress, and mental functioning in 94 posttreatment breast cancer survivo...
Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in Latinas. Time from cancer diagnosis to treatment initiation is critical in optimizing care. Patient navigation (PN) is a potentially effective means of promoting timely breast cancer treatment, yet efficacy is insufficiently documented.
Redes En Accin: The National Latino Cancer Research Netw...
Introduction. From 2007-2009, new cancer diagnoses declined for men, but remained stable for women and increased slightly for children. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an exception: incidence has increased in all groups. Moreover, HCC among South Texas Latinos has traditionally been higher than all other U.S. Latinos. This study compares incidenc...
This book is a roadmap of the exact health disparities that burden the health of South Texas residents, especially Hispanics, compared to the rest of Texas and nation. This type of knowledge has the potential to fuel and motivate researchers and public health leaders to create and shape interventions to reverse those health disparities. Most notabl...
BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in Latinas. Time from cancer diagnosis to treatment initiation is critical in optimizing cancer care. Patient navigation is a potentially effective means of promoting timely treatment of breast cancer, yet efficacy is insufficiently documented. Redes en Accion here evaluates a cultural...
Time delay after an abnormal screening mammogram may have a critical impact on tumor size, stage at diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, and survival of subsequent breast cancer. This study was undertaken to evaluate disparities between Latina and non-Hispanic white (NHW) women in time to definitive diagnosis of breast cancer after an abnormal screenin...
Childhood obesity is a persistent problem in the U.S., especially among Hispanics. Health complications like hypertension, type II diabetes, and metabolic syndrome (Met-S) are being seen at younger ages, and current screening procedures may be inadequate. This study sought to describe the risk factors for Met-S present in a sample of 106 overweight...
Title: AN OBESITY MANAGEMENT INTERVENTION FOR HISPANIC CHILDREN IN A PEDIATRIC CLINIC: STUDY DESIGN AND BASELINE CHARACTERISTICS Authors: Laura A. Rubalcava, MA, Dorothy A. Long Parma, MD, Deborah Parra-Medina, MPH, PhD, Cynthia M. Mojica, PhD, MPH Affiliation: Institute for Health Promotion Research, Dept of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Univers...
